Inside ‘SPIES’: Smithsonian Associate Calder Walton on Intelligence Warfare and U.S.-Russia and China Relations
The Not Old Better Show, Prevention Magazine Interview Series, October
Welcome back to another episode of The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Interview Series on radio and podcast. I’m Paul Vogelzang, and we’re broadcasting from just outside of Washington, D.C. Please check out our show notes today for more information about Smithsonian Associates and their wonderful programs. The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Interview Series is dedicated to fostering thoughtful dialogues on subjects that matter.
We are honored to have with us Smithsonian Associate Calder Walton. Calder Walton is a previous guest on the show, a favorite of mine and our audience. Calder Walton is a historian specializing in intelligence and global security at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Calder has deep-dived into newly declassified records, shedding light on the intelligence narratives that were foundational in shaping the Cold War. These revelations not only provide new angles on infamous espionage cases such as the five Cambridge spies and Aldrich Ames but also explore unidentified Russian moles within British or U.S. intelligence agencies and the Kremlin’s long history of political assassinations. Calder Walton will be appearing at Smithsonian Associates coming up, and the title of his presentation is Intelligence: The New Cold War. Calder Walton has written the new book Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East and West and will read a passage from his book now revealing so much about what we are dealing with regarding the New Cold War.
That, of course, is our guest today, Calder Walton reading from his new book, Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East and West. So why should we care about spies and the events that transpired decades ago? The reality is the world is once again seeing a rising tide of shadow wars that employ disinformation, advanced technology, and intelligence networks. “Spying” is at an all-time high. These tactics are used by major global players like the United States, China, and Russia to disrupt the status quo, sow discord, and perhaps even topple governments.
For those of you who remember the Cold War era or are simply fascinated by the complexity of geopolitical struggles, this episode promises to provide valuable insights into where we’ve been, where we are, and where we could be heading. Please join me in welcoming to The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associate’s interview series, author, and Smithsonian Associate Calder Walton.
My thanks to Calder Walton for joining today’s show. Calder Walton will be appearing at Smithsonian Associates coming up, and the title of his presentation is Intelligence: The New Cold War. Calder Walton has written the new book Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East and West. My thanks, always, to the Smithsonian team for all they do to support the show, and my thanks to you, my wonderful, wonderful Not Old Better Show audience on radio and podcast. Please be well, be safe, and let’s talk about better…The Not Old Better Show. Thanks, everybody, and we’ll see you next week.
Check out Smithsonian Associates HERE: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/intelligence-new-cold-war